Six workers in the tourism sector have won STAR awards for their outstanding service.

The Special Thanks And Recognition (STAR) awards are presented by the Malta Tourism Authority.

The winners in the Service categories were selected through a process of tourist nominations, while the popular Hotel Worker of the Year award, now in its fourth year, was based on nominations by the industry and judged by a selection panel composed of four tourism-related entities.

At this year's edition of the STAR Awards those present remembered Eritrean refugee Ashih Tekleab Haile who drowned while rescuing two French students in Paradise Bay. 

During his opening speech, the Authority's CEO Mr Josef Formosa Gauci congratulated all the nominees and said that hundreds of individuals working in various sectors related to tourism were nominated. Some  6,000 tourist nominations were received.

The Minister for Tourism, Mario de Marco, expressed his good wishes to the winners and thanked the winners and nominees for the excellent service and hospitality they offer tourists. He stressed that success in the tourism industry depends on the good service offered by employees.

Each of the STAR Award winners received a certificate, an 18ct gold lapel-pin and €800 cash prize, whereas the runners-up received a certificate and a cash prize of €150.

The winners were:
Gordon Naudi - Director of Corporate Sales, InterContinental Malta (Hotel Worker of the Year);
Charlie Bonanno - Owner, Charlie's Discovery Speed Boat Trips;
Paul Vella - Driver, Silverstar Garage;
Maria Bugeja - Owner, Maria Giovanna Hostel;
Mark Dove - Diving instructor, Paradise Diving;
Mary Camilleri - Driver, Belmont Garage;
Gabrielle Montanaro - Tourist guide.

The STAR scheme will continue throughout 2012. Tourist nominations are already reaching the MTA and all nominations received till the 31st December 2012 will automatically enter the scheme. Nomination forms are available from all the MTA's Tourist Information Centres as well as several hotels, attractions, dive centres and restaurants.

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